The man gives me a long appraising look.
"Who are you" I demand when he doesn't answer, doesn't move. I raise my arm towards him, my pointed finger shaking ever so slightly despite my best efforts to look imposing. It's only then that he barks a laugh, seeming decided and then sweeps a bow mockingly, "We are none but the darkness, Princess. Men." The men follow his cue, retreating, and in less than a minute they're gone into the woods behind Apalala. Sooner still, gone from my view. Like phantoms in the fading light.
I release my grip on the power and fall to my knees. It always feels like leaving behind a tender embrace, a kiss like the sun. When I've caught my breath, I stand and take the last few steps towards Apalala. Her head on the grass over her claws. Her wings still protectively over her nest.
"Where's.." I begin, but her mate's name has fled my mind. Another fact in my life lost to the magic. She understands anyway. She always does, I'm not the first of my kind she's known.
"Errol is hunting game, the others all fled when they saw the spears, but I couldn't leave. I couldn't go." She whimpers, her intelligent eyes full of exhaustion. Her exposed belly bleeds freely from several gashes. She lifts her wing, an invitation for me to draw closer and I do.
Tucked at her side are not one but two of the most spectacular-coloured eggs – one, a deep rich ruby colour, and the other a brilliant sapphire. I'd missed the birth. A sad pang hits my heart and I instantly regret the selfish thought. They look like liquid metal, or gems I'd never seen before, I don't know what to call it. Except that Errol was right, I would never see it's like again.
"May I?" I ask gently, stepping closer. When her wing dropped down comfortably around us, a silent yes, I crouch down and place my palm on her closest egg. It's the size of a small fawn, and warm, almost scalding in its hotness. All smooth lines and halting edges. I pull my hand away almost instantly to avoid being burned.
I lean into Apalala and whisper up to her, "so beautiful." I can feel a rumble of appreciation or maybe pride in her chest. "It must be a good omen that there are two," I continue, looking into Apalala's eyes. She closes them wearily but answers me anyway, "it is rare among my kind to bear twins. I've never heard of anyone in my line bearing more than one child. It… I will not be flying anytime soon."
Anger wells up in my chest again that the other two dragons had fled to leave her alone as they had. The cowards. The flap of wings snaps me out of my internal rant and three beautiful dragons emerge in my line of sight, with Errol the largest of the three rushing towards Apalala.
I place a light kiss on her cheek before stepping out from under her wing. With a nod towards Errol, I head back towards the bushes, towards my mother's castle and leave them to their own internal justice.